From a Distance
by dana-maru1
Summary: COMPLETE Snape has fallen in love, but from a distance - at first. Sirius is released from azkaban, and fights for custody of Harry. And the Dark Lord is set to rise again.
1. Jealous of Remus?

Author's Note: Please be nice, this is my very first attempt at a Harry Potter fic.

Disclaimer - Okay, okay, I admit it: all the characters you'll recognize in this fic belong to J.K.Rowling. I'm only borrowing them - honest!

The 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' teacher from the previous year, as history would have it, for one unknown reason or another had resigned from her position. Again Severus Snape applied for the position, and again he had to sit back and let someone else take the job when the first of September rolled around once more.

He sat at the far end of the High Table, watching the two professors in the center, deep in conversation. Glaring at the man who had, as a number of people before him, beaten Snape to the job he most wanted. Yet this fact was not what made him burn with anger, even he could not understand the turmoil of emotions churning within him. Some would call it jealousy, though what Severus Snape was jealous of - other than not being perceived good enough to teach 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' - puzzled all of his colleagues. All except one that is, Professor Dumbledore had his suspicions, while surveying the glare of his Potions Master. Yes, Dumbledore had a good idea what's bothering Snape, even if Snape could not yet admit it - even to himself.

Professor McGonagal rose as soon as the sound of children's voices filled the Entrance Hall of the Hogwarts castle, to gather the new first years and prepare them for The Sorting. A lot of pale faces showed how nervous these eleven-year-olds were as they gazed up at the Head of Gryffindor with mixed expressions of fear and awe. She led them into the Great Hall, where the stood nervously next to the High Table. A small, stocky, redheaded boy looked as though he would rather face a dragon than the stool and ragged hat in front of him. His older brother was to blame for that since he had spread a rumor amongst the new students. The hat opened along a tear at the brim and began its yearly song:

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty

But don't judge on what you see

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black

Your top hats sleek and tall

For I'm the Hogwart's Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong to Gryffindor

Where dwell the brave at heart

Their daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart.

You might belong in Hufflepuff

Where they are just and loyal

Those patient Hufflespuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw

If you've a ready mind

Where those of wit and learning

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The redhead turned to a boy beside him and, sighing in relief said

"I'm going to bloody kill Bill - he told me we'd have to fight whatever came out of that stupid hat and we only have to wear it!" 

The boy, who was called up next to sit on the stool, just shrugged and stepped forward to place the Sorting Hat on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF"

The hat roared, and those at the Hufflepuff table stood to welcome their new arrival. The Sorting hat continued to yell the names of the four houses while each new student stepped toward their fate. Finally only the small redhead was left and he heard Professor McGonagal read his name from the scroll;

"Weasley, Charles"

With thoughts about how much he hated being called 'Charles', he took his place on the stool and lifted the hat onto his head. It slid down to his nose and barely stayed there two seconds before it yelled 'Gryffindor' and Charles - or rather Charlie, hurriedly made his way to the table his brother sat at.

"Good on you, _Charles_, almost thought you'd be in Slytherin, but you pulled through and kept up the family name!"

"Shut up, _William_, _you're_ the evil one of the family!"

Their squabble was cut short when Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair at the very center of the High Table to speak.

"Welcome to our new first years, and welcome back to all of you. I have a few announcements to make: Firstly, we have a new 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' teacher with us this year - will you please welcome Professor Lupin?"

Remus Lupin rose, his pale cheeks tinged pink at the sudden attention, and smiled at the applauding students. Once the applause subsided, Dumbledore continued: 

"I would also like to notify our new students that The Forbidden Forest, as stated in its name, is forbidden to all students... Some of our older students may do well to remember this too."

He said with a look in Bill Weasley's direction, with a merry twinkle in his eyes. Sitting back down in his chair, he signaled to his students to begin their meal and lapsed into a quiet conversation with Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher.

Snape continued to glare at the man who was identified as the werewolf he hated so much while he was a student at the school. Though, now he had all the more reason to hate Lupin. Yes, he was jealous that Lupin had been granted the job he wanted most. And yes, he still had the underlying hatred of this "Marauder". However, Snape could still not put his finger on what else was bothering him. He resented the way Minerva McGonagal laughed at Lupin's jokes yet never had the time of day for him. Not that he really cared ... well at least that's what he told himself.

He so badly wanted to prove to her that he was no longer that naive prat she once knew and hated, but then his brief engagement as one of Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters didn't really help matters. In her eyes, he was and would always be one of them. He only had himself to blame really, considering he was among the group of Death Eaters that rendered the Longbottoms crazy. As well as quite a few other things that I wont go into right now.

The thunderous sound of multiple students chattering caused Severus to snap out of his thoughts and rejoin the real world of Hogwarts, which he was grateful for. He never was one to sympathize with people who wallowed in self-pity. And never would he admit he did it too. His icy stare followed the students as they began their ascent to the dormitories, chattering excitedly about their summer holidays.

He caught a glimpse of Remus Lupin walking towards the Entrance Hall, and was glad to see that Minerva was not with him. An extremely rare, very small smile played at the corners of his mouth and he stood to follow the rest of the school out of the Great Hall hoping no one saw his scowl fade for just a second. McGonagal's ever-watchful eye spotted it, and for quite a while after she wondered what had amused him for she had never seen even the slightest hint of a smile on her colleague's face. Seeing it, she couldn't help but smile too. She had spent some time thinking that a spell gone wrong may have permanently moulded his face into that awful glare.

Perhaps someone has finally managed to melt that icy heart of his she thought, climbing the stairs to her quarters.


	2. Sirius Free!

****

Author's Note: Please be nice, this is my very first attempt at a Harry Potter fic.

****

Disclaimer - Okay, okay, I admit it: all the characters you'll recognize in this fic belong to J.K.Rowling. I'm only borrowing them - honest!

__

The atmosphere in the almost empty classroom was tense. There he was yelling at a fellow professor.

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing?!"

His voice echoes in the dark room. She doesn't answer. Though she should be angry with him, there's definitely a smile tugging at her lips. Slowly, as though she had had to think hard in order to come up with a response, she softly says

"It was a simple question, there's no need to be so angry."

He isn't really, he just doesn't want to admit it to her. Not now and not ever. But for once his heart is speaking for him and he glides closer. His arms encircle her waist, pulling her toward him and ...

Trelawney jerked awake, hoping it was just a dream. No one believed her premonitions anyway. Well, none were believed except the prophecy concerning Harry Potter but that was six years ago. She certainly didn't think this vision, sorry _dream_, would come true anyway. There was no way in a million years. Or so she thought.

Looking at the sundial on her windowsill, she realized her first class would begin in less than half an hour so she dressed hurriedly and lit the fire that stood before a dozen or so tables in the Divination classroom. The pungent smell from it had just begun to fill the room when first-year students appeared, one by one, to fill the chairs and "see" their futures.

---

In another classroom, McGonagal was addressing the first years in her own house, and in Hufflepuff.

"Transfiguration is not a skill that will come easily, and it is not one, which should be taken lightly. It may be difficult at first, and it can also be dangerous if used incorrectly or by an inexperienced witch or wizard."

She eyed her new students, each with pale faces and almost frightened expressions and continued.

"Now, we will begin by transfiguring these hedgehogs into pincushions. Do not hesitate to ask for help."

The hour passed quickly, with a surprising lack of mishaps. Except when Charlie Weasley somehow transfigured his hedgehog into a walking plant.

The day passed quickly, and soon the students bustled into the Great Hall for dinner. The sound of conversations and laughter quickly filled the vast room. That is, until the food appeared on the tables. A few owls dropped in, at the High Table, to deliver copies of the Daily Prophet. A few of the professors looked at each other in confusion, only when something big happened was the newspaper issued this late in the day. Dumbledore, along with a few others, unfolded his copy and began to read the front page.

**__**

"Never before has a Death Eater come forward to hand himself in. Today, it can be told that Peter Pettigrew, yes that's right, Peter Pettigrew_ has approached the Minister of Magic in a bid to clear Sirius Black's name._

Under the influence of the Veritaserum potion, Pettigrew has admitted to faking his own death. He has told Ministry officials that he was afraid for his life and believed that the only way to escape the Dark Lord's wrath - he unwittingly betrayed his 'master' - was to disappear.

He has admitted to tricking James and Lily Potter into making him their Secret Keeper so he could 'rat on them', thus aiding He Who Must Not Be Named in his plot to kill the couple and their son, Harry. However, when He Who Must Not Be Named attempted to murder the infant, his spell backfired and the 'Dark Lord' was rendered a helpless, drifting soul. Pettigrew, at the time, only knew that Harry Potter had lived, which would undeniably anger his 'master' so he fled. And so Sirius Black was framed, and wrongly imprisoned as a result.

Pettigrew also admitted that he is an illegal Animagus, which explains how he has been able to hide for the past six years. But he says living as a rat won't save him from He Who Must Not Be Named when he rises again because 'he knows everything about his followers'.

We are told that Pettigrew has been informed that He Who Must Not Be Named is no longer a mere shadow but has almost returned to his former self. He also reported that He Who Must Not Be Named is determined to get revenge on The Boy Who Lived and any Death Eaters who may have betrayed him, as soon as he is strong enough. Pettigrew cannot estimate when this will be, but warns that we must be prepared for when the day comes.

Today we can reveal that Sirius Black - who has defied history and kept his mind in the six years he has occupied a cell - has been released from Azkaban and Pettigrew will 'gladly take his place if it means escaping the Dark Lord'."

McGonagal dropped the paper to the table and let out a gasp. It had been years since she thought of Lord Voldemort's reign of terror but now she was reliving the horrendous memories in her head. Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder, nodded in understanding and the two left the Great Hall.

In Dumbledore's office, the fear in Minerva's eyes was obvious. She paced the floors, breathing heavily while wrapping a strand of hair, which had fallen from her bun, around her fingers.

"Minerva, will you please calm yourself down and take a seat."

She glared at him, as though he had absolutely no right to tell her to calm down or even sit down for that matter but she gladly sat on the soft chair Dumbledore conjured for her.

"How can he be back? How is it possible? Is it even possible? He's supposed to be dead! How on earth can this be happening? That poor man, in Azkaban for murders he didn't commit" And so she continued to rant for a good five minutes.

"Minerva... I do not know how Voldemort has come to regain his strength. I can only guess that his followers found out he was still alive and those who remained faithful to him found him. We both know that a man with such power as Voldemort had couldn't be truly dead. As for Sirius, he will no doubt want to fight for guardianship of Harry and he'll need all the help he can get. The only problem is how we explain his six-year absence in a Muggle court of law."

"Muggle court? Why? Sirius is a wizard and Harry no doubt will be."

"I know that, but Harry's current guardians are Muggles, and he is registered at a Muggle school. Therefore the only way to fight for custody is through a Muggle court."


	3. What she always wanted

****

Disclaimer - Okay, okay, I admit it: all the characters you'll recognize in this fic belong to J.K.Rowling. I'm only borrowing them - honest!

****

Author's Note: Rated R for graphic sex scene - Don't say I didn't warn you!

Minerva left Dumbledore's office in a hurry. She was afraid, and she didn't like not knowing what to do. She walked briskly through the corridors and found herself in the dungeons, as if on autopilot. There she opened the door to Snape's classroom, knowing she'd find it void of students at this time of the day. Severus looked up at her in surprise.

"You knew he was coming back didn't you?"

The atmosphere in the almost empty classroom was tense.

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing?! After all I sacrificed to leave, you treat me like I'm still under suspicion!"

His voice echoes in the dark room. She doesn't answer. Though she should be angry with him, there's definitely a smile tugging at her lips. Slowly, as though she had had to think hard in order to come up with a response, or perhaps it took her a while to realize she was jumping to conclusions, she softly says

"It was a simple question, there's no need to be so angry."

He isn't really, he just doesn't want to admit it to her. Not now and not ever. But for once his heart was speaking for him and he glided closer. His arms encircled her waist, pulling her toward him and pressed his lips to hers. At first she pulled back.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!"

But then she locked the door with her wand, let the guards fall, and kissed him back. Softly at first, then it deepened, her lips parting further to let his tongue explore her mouth. Her left hand fingered the hair on the back of his head, her right hand rested on his chest. His left hand was on her hip while his other found its way to her breast. Caressing her breast, his mouth lowered to her neck, kissing just below her earlobe. She let out a low moan and pushed his cloak off his shoulders, leaving it crumpled on the floor. He led her to a room connected to the classroom, his bedroom, where he gently lowered her to the bed.

Resuming the passionate kiss, his hands unfastened her cloak and robes, leaving her in bra and underpants. Though not for long. He pulled her toward him to unclip the hook on her bra, and as it was thrown haphazardly to the floor, his mouth descended on the nipple of her right breast. Arching her back, another soft moan escaped her lips and she unfastened the robe Snape was wearing so all he had to cover himself were graying boxer shorts. Severus let his hands explore her body, all the while his mouth stayed at her breast.

He found the hemline of her underpants and his hand disappeared beneath it. She opened her legs to let his fingers enter her, pushing her pelvis against his hand. Her own hand, by then had found its way inside his shorts, and was wrapped around his erect penis. She lifted her hips to help him remove her underpants, and took her hand out of his shorts so she could take them off. She lay on her back, nipples erect and legs spread waiting for him. Wanting him so badly. And she didn't have to wait long for him to penetrate her. Moving as one, soft and gentle at first, he kissed her tenderly. The longer he was inside her, the faster and harder they moved against each other, until finally her back arched and she screamed in ecstasy. All the pent up emotion finally exploding.

Breathing heavily, they lay together, their bodies entwined as they fell asleep.

__


	4. Watching the Dursleys

****

Disclaimer - Okay, okay, I admit it: all the characters you'll recognize in this fic belong to J.K.Rowling. I'm only borrowing them - honest!

He didn't know how long he had been standing there, in the shadows across from the fourth house on Privet Drive but with every passing minute, he grew tenser. For hours, he stood watching a little boy. The boy was small for his age, even though he was only seven years old, and so thin his spine and ribs were visible underneath the overlarge sweater that hung from his tiny form. His hair was tousled as it always was, standing in all directions. The boy stopped to take a break from his chores - well, some would call it slave labor - and stood gazing out of the kitchen window. His uncle always seemed to know when he was slacking and it wasn't long before his huge hand came out of nowhere and knocked the boy to the floor.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO CLEAN, BOY, NOW GET ON WITH IT!"

The boy's brilliant green eyes shone with tears as he whimpered apologies and resumed scrubbing the floor.

Across the road, the black dog growled, his hackles raised. He knew he couldn't do anything and it made him feel even worse.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you here, Sirius."

The dog morphed back to his human form to stare in surprise at his former headmaster.

"H-how d'you know it was me?" He asked, watching a smile spread across the old man's face.

"Sirius, I know that you, James and Peter -"

"I don't want to hear that name!" Sirius snapped

"I quite understand Sirius. You are obviously aware that he handed himself and revealed how he was hiding. I know he wasn't the only one of my students to become an Animagus. Remus told me of it when he heard the news that you were to be released."

Sirius smiled at the memories of his days as a student at Hogwarts. Remembering Moony's transformations under a full moon, he spoke again.

"Well you don't think we could leave a friend as dear as Remus alone in that awful shack, did you?"

"So you came up with a way to do it without getting hurt, I see. You always were quite clever. I have a request for you, Sirius. You have no doubt heard that Voldemort is planning to rise again..." He paused, watching the concern on the younger man's face, then continued, "I am reforming the Order, and I was wondering if you'd care to rejoin us?"

"Professor, I'd love to help you, but all I care about right now is getting my godson away from those Muggles. James would never have wanted his son to go to people like them, even if they are the only relatives. They hate our kind more than anything and you can see how they're bloody treating him! It's not even six o'clock and he's scrubbing the fucking - sorry - kitchen floor!"

"Well you can't just go in there and take him, you do realize you'll have to go through Muggle courts to win guardianship?"

Sirius stared in disbelief but knew better than to argue with Dumbledore, instead enquiring how he could do that. How on earth was he supposed to explain his six-year absence? He couldn't exactly tell them he was in a wizard prison! And there was no record of his existence in the Muggle world. He supposed he could somehow make records, after all Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard and he was on Sirius' side. Pacing and ranting for almost an hour, Sirius noticed the sun start to rise. The other Muggles on the street would be waking soon, and it was best that the two wizards leave before they did.

**__**

A/N: Yes, I know it's short, which is why I hope to post the next chapter a lot sooner than I managed to post this one. Thanks for reading, and please review!


	5. Sirius One, Dursleys Nil

****

Disclaimer - Okay, okay, I admit it: all the characters you'll recognize in this fic belong to J.K.Rowling. I'm only borrowing them - honest!

Back at Hogwarts, Remus entered his classroom over an hour early to prepare the lesson. He was about to sit at his desk when he felt something brush against his leg. Looking down to see a large black dog resting its head against his knee, he smiled and watched the dog transform. Seeing his old friend back brought a tear to his eye, he let it fall as Sirius pulled him into a warm embrace.

Minerva woke to find Severus' arm still wrapped around her waist and sighed inwardly. Content that finally she had what she wanted. Severus woke soon after, smiling. Yawning, she got up from the bed to get dressed. Snape followed, planting a light kiss on her cheek before she left. Leaving him lost in his thoughts until he heard the bell calling for his first class to begin. _How time flies_ he mused to himself, entering the Potions classroom as the last of his students filed in.

"Today, you will be learning to concoct the Healing Potion. Used to heal small cuts and burns. Should you complete the potion successfully, it will be blood red."

Snape waved his wand at the blackboard behind him, and the ingredients appeared. Charlie Weasley couldn't help but notice a smile tugging at the corners of the formidable Potion Master's lips. After all, Bill had always told him that the day Severus Snape smiled was the day the sky would fall. In other words, never would one see Severus Snape without his trademark scowl. Even less in character, Snape actually awarded Charlie ten points for successfully concocting his potion.

---

After potions was Transfiguration, again with the Hufflepuffs. Charlie, again, spent much of his time trying to correct the fact that his pincushion still had cactus spines protruding from it. Minerva had, unusually, offered to help. He politely declined, with quite a puzzled expression, and set about correcting it by himself. He received a further five points for his house when, just before the bell rang, the cactus spines disappeared in favor of actual pins.

At lunch, Bill and his friends watched their Potions Master with great interest, as he gazed quite wistfully at nothing in particular.

"You think something's wrong with him?" Asked Charlie of Bill

"I don't know little bro', it is kind of strange."

"You think that's weird? He actually smiled in Potions this morning _and_ gave me ten points 'cause I made my potion right."

Bill's mouth dropped open at that, something was definitely up with Snape and he and Charlie were set on finding out what.

**__**

A/N: Yes, I know it's short, which is why I hope to post the next chapter a lot sooner than I managed to post this one. Thanks for reading, and please review!


	6. Going Home

Disclaimer - Okay, okay, I admit it: all the characters you'll recognize in this fic belong to J.K.Rowling. I'm only borrowing them - honest!

In Dumbledore's office, Sirius sat opposite his former headmaster, discussing how he was going to get Harry back. Dumbledore himself, created documents for Sirius. He now had a Muggle birth certificate, and a copy of his mother's will, stating that she had left him the family's holiday home in Quebec, Montreal, upon her death. Obviously, it was not his mother's true will. She hated him too much to leave him anything when she died. His cover story was, that when his mother died eight years ago, he took residence in the home in Quebec, wanting to be away from everything. His false records informed him that Sirius Black was a writer. He even had a copy of a book he had supposedly written. He had everything he needed to present in a Muggle court, Minerva McGonagal was to act as his lawyer. Now all he had to do was be in court in time for the custody hearing that afternoon.

Sitting on the wooden bench with Minerva to his right and Remus Lupin and Dumbledore behind him, Sirius listened as the barrister called the case.

"Case No. 32368, Black versus Dursley for custody of Potter. All rise for the Honorable Judge Neil."

Sirius stood and looked across the courtroom to his left, where Mr. and Mrs. Dursley sat, with Harry wedged between them. The seven-year-old gave a weak smile in the direction of his godfather and Sirius was glad he'd had the chance to explain the situation before the court date. He knew that it would be difficult to fully gain Harry's trust after what he had experienced at the hands of Vernon and Petunia Dursley, but he was willing to do absolutely anything to achieve it.

"Would Sirius Black take to the stand please."

He heard Dursley's lawyer ask, and proceeded to make his way to the stand, as requested.

"Mr. Black, I would like you to state, in detail why you think Harry Potter would be better of living with you."

"Well," he started, clearing his throat, "Firstly, I am Harry's godfather and, with that title, I should be held responsible for my godson's care and well being..."

"But, Mr. Black, am I correct in saying that you have been absent from this child's life since he was only one year old?"

"Yes, sir, but there is an explanation for that."

"I'm listening, Mr. Black." the lawyer replied brusquely.

"Eight years ago, my mother died, and in her will she left me property in Canada... a ranch, if you will. And I decided that it was best I used it, to get away from things, to process my mother's death. It was only when I returned, to promote my new book that I learned of James Potter's death." He lied through his teeth, so to speak.

"I see... Well, Mr. Black I'd like to hear more about why Harry would, _allegedly_, be better off living with you."

"If you just take a look at the boy, it's clear that the Dursley's have not treated him as they should. Harry is seven years old, and yet he is forced to scrub floors and cook meals. He has never had the privilege of being just what he is, a child. Instead, he is treated like a slave."

Vernon Dursley grew more visible purple as this short speech went on, gripping the edge of the table so hard, his knuckles had turned white.

"I OBJECT!"

His booming voice echoed through the courtroom. At that, Minerva McGonagal stood, and simply said,

"Well, Mr. Dursley, if you don't mind, I'd like to hear what you have to say on this matter."

And so, Sirius was relieved of his position on the stand and Vernon Dursley took his place.

"Everything Mr. Black here says is a downright LIE! We have never treated Po-_Harry_ any differently than we do our own son. He is most certainly not treated like a slave at all."

"Ah, but Mr. Dursley, if, as you say, Harry was treated no differently from Dudley, then why did you almost refer to the boy by his surname?"

"I... I... I most certainly did not!"

"Yes, you did, Mr. Dursley. I have no more questions Your Honor."

She let Vernon go back to his seat as she approached the bench, speaking in hushed tones,

"Your Honor, there is evidence that Harry Potter _has_ been mistreated by his current guardians, if you would allow him to give his account, I believe you will see that for yourself."

"Harry Potter is not old enough to testify on his own behalf, Ms. McGonagal."

He spoke a little louder than Minerva had, and Harry heard what he said. He raised his hand, as though in class at school.

"Yes, Harry?" The Judge asked gently.

"Mr. Judge, why _can't_ I testify?"

"Harry, you are not old enough."

"But, I want to have a choice of where I live, Mr. Judge."

"Very well, Harry, you may take to the stand."

"Thank you." Harry and Minerva said in unison.

McGonagal helped Harry into his seat, noticing how he winced when she held his arm.

"Harry, would you please tell the court about what you do every day?" She question in her mildest tone, and saw him nod.

"Well, Uncle Vernon always makes me wake up when it's still dark and first I have to vacuum the carpet in the lounge then clean the kitchen floor with a scrubbing brush... Then, when the sun starts coming up, I have to start making breakfast. A proper English breakfast every morning. After breakfast, I have to walk to school, I get teased because I wear Dudley's old clothes and they're too big..."

Sirius clenched his fists, wishing he could zap Vernon Dursley into oblivion right there and then. He listened intently as Minerva asked Harry the next, and last, question.

"Harry, what happens if you _don't_ do what is asked of you?"

"Sometimes... I stop scrubbing the kitchen floor for a little while because my back hurts... and my knees. And if Uncle Vernon comes in when I'm not scrubbing, he usually s-slaps me hard on my head. Once he even hit me with the belt out of his trousers. I have the scar on my back if you want to see?"

He said the last part looking at the Judge, hoping that if he showed it, he'd be taken away from the Dursley's forever. When he saw the Judge nod, Harry turned his back on the people in the court and lifted up the sweater that would have been too big for Sirius. Dursley turned an even deeper shade of purple - surprisingly, it was still possible - as the pink welt came into view, clearly in the shape of a belt buckle. Not only was there that mark, but a number of bruises surrounding it. Sirius wished again that he'd brought his wand so he could blow up the bastards that were Vernon and Petunia Dursley.

Harry was instructed to go back to his seat whilst Judge Neil left his position on the bench. To think over his decision, though he'd already made up his mind. He just wanted to do a further background check on Sirius. Fifteen minutes later, Judge Neil returned and the barrister asked them to rise again.

"Upon hearing what young Mr. Potter had to say, and double-checking the background information on Mr. Black, I have come to the conclusion that Harry will indeed be better off living with his godfather. There will be regular checks on Mr. Potter's progress for the first year of living with you, Mr. Black but for now, I'd like you to accompany him back to the Dursley residence to collect his belongings and, take him to his new home."

Sirius punched the air, let out a whoop and fought to overcome the sudden urge to hug McGonagal. He lost the fight and she felt the air being squeezed from her lungs as he held her in a tight bear hug. Harry walked slowly over to the pair, and timidly took hold Sirius' hand and the three left the courtroom together.

****

THE END

A/N: I hope you liked it, if you did please review!! And also, tell me if you think I should post the sequel. It'll be mostly Harry's life with Sirius, with some Snape/McGonagal and other stuff thrown in lol.  
**_A/N2: _**Don't hate me for Chapter Three - that was my pal Erin's fault!

I hope you liked it, if you did please review!! And also, tell me if you think I should post the sequel. It'll be mostly Harry's life with Sirius, with some Snape/McGonagal and other stuff thrown in lol.Don't hate me for Chapter Three - that was my pal Erin's fault! 


End file.
